Spellcasting. The acolyte is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The acolyte has following cleric spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
- 1st level (3 slots): bless, cure wounds, sanctuary
Actions
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
How many acolytes for a fight?
An acolyte is worth 50 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many acolytes fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
1st
4
6
8
2nd
8
12
12+
3rd
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the acolyte compares at CR 1/4
Against the 31 other challenge 1/4 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the acolyte has more hit points than 4 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 1/4 monster.
Statistic
Acolyte
CR 1/4 average
Armor Class
10
11.8
Hit points
9
15
Best attack bonus
+2
+4
2024 stat block: Priest Acolyte
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the acolyte, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
It’s called the Priest Acolyte in the 2024 rules.
Armor Class: 10 → 13.
Hit points: 9 → 11.
Ability scores: STR 10 → 14, CON 10 → 12.
New in its stat block: Mace, Radiant Flame and Divine Aid.
Gone from it: Club.
Armor Class
13 (chain shirt)
Hit Points
11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed
30 ft.
Challenge
1/4 (50 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
14 (+2)
10 (+0)
12 (+1)
10 (+0)
14 (+2)
11 (+0)
Senses
passive Perception 12
Languages
Common
Gear
Chain Shirt, Holy Symbol, Mace
Actions
Mace. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) Radiant damage.
Radiant Flame. Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 60 ft. Hit: 7 (2d6) Radiant damage.
Spellcasting. The priest casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability:
At Will: Light, Thaumaturgy
Bonus actions
Divine Aid (1/Day). The priest casts Bless, Healing Word, or Sanctuary, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.
